Villarreal issues statement after cancellation of Barcelona match in Miami, takes aim at La Liga
Villarreal has released an official statement expressing deep dissatisfaction with La Liga’s actions following the cancellation of their 17th-round fixture against Barcelona, which was scheduled to be held in the United States on December 20. The Spanish league announced the day before that the Miami clash would not take place, and the match will instead be played at the Estadio de la Cerámica.
Details: In its statement, Villarreal emphasized that the initiative to stage a match outside Spain was La Liga’s project, aimed at promoting Spanish football on a global scale. The club agreed to participate, seeing it as an opportunity for growth and to raise the profile of the competition.
According to Villarreal representatives, despite numerous reminders, La Liga failed to provide proper organizational support for the project: key issues such as kickoff time and travel arrangements for supporters remained unresolved. Just minutes before the Champions League clash against Manchester City, the club was informed by phone that the US fixture had been canceled. Mere moments later, La Liga published an official statement without consulting Villarreal, which the club described as “a complete lack of respect and empathy.”
Villarreal expressed regret that La Liga was unable to properly execute a project that could have marked a significant step in the international development of Spanish football. Nevertheless, the club stressed that it will continue to adhere to its philosophy—working for the progress of both the team and the league as a whole.
Reminder: A Manchester City fan passed away before the Champions League match against Villarreal.
Steven Perez
Dailysports's expert
